We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joe Barksdale. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joe below.
Joe, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
I would like for people to remember me as funny and also as someone that lit up the room and made people feel good. I’d like to be known as one of the best that ever did what i did as well as being part of the change for the better of every situation that i enter into.
Joe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Joe Barksdale. i grew up in Detroit, MI but currently reside in Austin, TX. I am a singer/songwriter, musician, producer, and comedian. I like to describe my music as something that you’ve never heard before but have always wanted to hear. I would describe my music as Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye and Sly Stone produced by Kanye West. As a comedian i talk about my life and the way that i see the world as a former NFL player as well as a High Functioning Autistic person. I am very intentional with everything that i do and my ultimate goal is to develop a community that i can lift up with me as i climb.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I used to play in the NFL. I was never on any winning teams and over time that got pretty depressing. I learned how to play guitar during my career and started to want to pursue being a music artist but thought that the NFL was going to be the pinnacle of my life and that i could start doing that after i retired from football after a 10+ year career. I remember being in the Kansas City Chiefs stadium. I remember sitting o the sideline and thinking about all the people that were in the stadium and how it took two organizations (50 man roster, training staff, weight room staff, coaching staff, front office staff, promotion money) to fill up this stadium for one evening. Around that time i looked up on the scoreboard and saw an ad for a Taylor Swift concert that was happen9ing 3 nights in a row in the same arena and it was already sold out! So you got “we sold it out, but just want y’all to know what you’re missing” kind of ads? To me, that’s significant. That’s the kind of platform that changes lives. I can change things for people like me with that kind of significance. And that’s the last season that i played NFL football.
Any advice for managing a team?
I would say the biggest thing is remembering that everyone that you are managing is a human being. Treat people nice and they will be easier to work with. Someone who loves you will die for you, someone who hates you will stab you in the back given the opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joebarksdale.com
- Instagram: jbdale72
- Facebook: jbdale72
- Twitter: jbdale72
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQriV2wEHpAayxy_Wtlf5Q
- Other: I also have a podcast called The Comfort Zone that focuses on mental health through the lenses of music, sports and comedy.
Image Credits
Joe Barksdale Ismael Quintanilla